Pavel Kussa
The ministrial level meeting of W.T.O. is going to take place from Nov 30 to Dec 3.Generally,during such meetings, imperialist countries pressurise the developing countries to abolish the agricultural subsidies according to the policies of free trade.The new agricultural laws were a result of dictates of such meetings.Following these dictates,govt had been preparing to shun the purchase of the farm produce.
Even now,the demands pertaining to the legal guarantee of M.S.P.,state purchase of crops and the legal guarantee of P.D.S. stand in direct contradiction with the dictates of W.T.O.Indian rulers have committed there in writing about not giving guarantee on fixing M.S.P. The coming meeting is also destined to bring such outcomes.Indian rulers will be issued further guidelines to which they will comply meekly.Here in our country,those guidelines will be implemented under the guise of multiplying farmers' income.When in july this year,draft text for this coming meeting was submitted,it included two proposals which may play havoc on indian people.According to first proposal the public stockholding for traditional food crops will be limited to 15% of total domestic product of these crops.Currently such stockholding for rice is app. 50% while for wheat it is app. 40% and still it is insufficient to ensure food for every indian household.According to the second proposal, the country which chooses to make public stocks for domestic food security ,will not be allowed to export from such stock.
After the repeal of farm laws,issues of M.S.P.,P.D.S.,state purchase of crops still stand unresolved.As Indian rulers have signed their consent to W.
T.O. policies, except for undoing it,there is no other permanent solution to these issues.
During this ongoing debate over the fair pricing of agri produce,state purchase and P.D.S.,this meeting is going to become an important juncture when toiling masses from all over the country should demand from Indian rulers to come out of W.T.O.,free the national economic decision making from its grip and run the nation in the service of its own people and not of multinational imperialist companies.
It is necessary to raise a strong voice to come out of it during this meeting,which is taking place at the time when ongoing farm struggle is reaching its peak.All demands of farm struggle are ultimately associated with W.T.O.The struggle on the demamd of coming out of W.T.O. is also an answer to the question whether farmers should keep agitating on economic demands or they should also influence policies of ruling class.
This is such a demand, struggling on which means struggling to change the policies of the ruling class.
Struggling farmers should not miss this chance.This demand should be kept at the top in the agenda of next struggle issues.